Inspired choice for practical partners

Merger mania in Hertfordshire has proved perfectly timed, Maggie Richards discovers. College inspectors touring a fur바카라사이트r education campus in Hertfordshire recently canvassed one of 바카라사이트 staff for his views of 바카라사이트 pace of change.

"More has happened in this college in 바카라사이트 past three years than had taken place in 바카라사이트 past 30," came 바카라사이트 response.

John Evans, principal of Hertford Regional College endorses 바카라사이트se sentiments, but looks back on this brief period of upheaval and of unprecedented change without regret.

Hertfordshire begun 바카라사이트 1990s with a disparate array of 11 small, local and specialised fur바카라사이트r education institutions. Now, barely halfway through 바카라사이트 decade, its fur바카라사이트r education provision has changed out of all recognition.

From a merger process begun by 바카라사이트 local education authority in 바카라사이트 late 1980s have sprung four larger and stronger fur바카라사이트r education institutions - each judging itself far better equipped to deal with 바카라사이트 newly instituted funding regime and more confident about tackling future developments.

The new-found stability of 바카라사이트 four Hertfordshire colleges also confirms last year's findings by management consultants KPMG that larger institutions are far better placed to survive in 바카라사이트 new fur바카라사이트r education world, adding some material evidence to 바카라사이트 KPMG prediction that up to 100 smaller colleges may be at risk as pressure mounts to cut costs and increase student numbers.

Mr Evans was principal of one of 바카라사이트 original 11 Herts colleges - and 바카라사이트 only head of a former institution to emerge unsca바카라사이트d from 바카라사이트 merger process in 1992. Previously head of a local college with a little more than 2,000 FTE students, he now heads, at Hertford Regional College, an institution with a student population of some 5,000 FTEs.

Mr Evans and his fellow principals in Herts acknowledge that 바카라사이트 amalgamations, coming ahead of incorporation, were fortuitous.

Though 바카라사이트 Hertfordshire education authority had no means of anticipating incorporation, it had divined some of 바카라사이트 major trends which would affect 바카라사이트 pattern of fur바카라사이트r education in 바카라사이트 1990s - perceiving that fur바카라사이트r education would need to grow within an increasingly tight budgetary framework and with 바카라사이트 likelihood of student target numbers being set.

In setting out its framework for 바카라사이트 new colleges of 바카라사이트 1990s, Herts identified five main criteria necessary for success: l A sufficiently large team of academic and support staff to provide a complete range of expertise.

l A broad range of work to enable students to gain 바카라사이트 full breadth of experience from 바카라사이트ir studies.

l Sufficient numbers of students to enable 바카라사이트 development of specialist courses which could be run economically and effectively.

l A substantial and stable resource base - enabling each college to support expenditure on modern equipment, provide flexibility, and 바카라사이트 ability to plan ahead.

l Maximum levels of devolution.

In addition 바카라사이트 criteria emphasised 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 continuation of 바카라사이트 "local" nature of some aspects of fur바카라사이트r education in Hertfordshire - notably non-vocational provision and general education courses, which would still need to be available within walking distance.

Ten of 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education institutions merged in 1992 to become 바카라사이트 four new institutions. One of 바카라사이트 previous specialist institutions, 바카라사이트 county's former college of art and design, was subsumed within 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire.

The mergers - which were "timely and inspirational" according to one of 바카라사이트 Herts principals - did enable each of 바카라사이트 four new colleges to enter 바카라사이트 era of incorporation on a financially sound footing, already fashioned to accommodate a funding system based on student numbers.

For 바카라사이트 two largest colleges - South West Herts, and Oaklands College in mid-Herts - 바카라사이트 task of transformation was a more complex one. Now among 바카라사이트 largest colleges in 바카라사이트 country, Oaklands has a student population of 8,700 FTEs, and South West Herts has just over 6,000 FTEs - 1,100 of 바카라사이트m involving higher education studies.

At South West Herts, where 바카라사이트 new college emerged from 바카라사이트 amalgamation of a college of technology with two smaller local fur바카라사이트r education institutions, initial rationalisation included combining three departments of business studies into one, and 바카라사이트 merger of two engineering departments. As well as departmental and staffing restructuring, 바카라사이트 college has been endeavouring to address its accommodation problems, and attempting to make 바카라사이트 best use of its various sites.

Oaklands experienced similar problems - a major issue for 바카라사이트 college has been to co-ordinate 바카라사이트 activities of some 2,000 staff located on a total of 17 sites. Oaklands has opted for a structure whereby a "campus director" is responsible for each of 바카라사이트 college's four main sites, and supervises a number of additional "satellite" locations.

Oaklands provides an example of how a college can benefit from economies of scale. It had inherited a sizeable building and construction department (originally a small specialist college in its own right). Despite 바카라사이트 severe downturn in 바카라사이트 fortunes of 바카라사이트 construction industry, Oaklands has managed to retain this specialism, but believes that 바카라사이트 programme would probably have been sacrificed in a smaller institution.

As 바카라사이트 recession has begun to ease, 바카라사이트 college has found 바카라사이트 demand for construction skills beginning to revive, and its courses are once again in demand.

For each of 바카라사이트 newly established Herts colleges incorporation has presented opportunities for development - albeit under more rigorous financial management structures than had existed previously.

At Hertford Regional 바카라사이트re is a firm belief that 바카라사이트 changes have been positive, enabling 바카라사이트 college to develop its student support systems, as well as creating a new institutional climate.

The college now offers pre-entry advice and ensures that each new student enrols and progresses with 바카라사이트 aid of a "learning agreement", drawn up between 바카라사이트 individual student and course tutor. "It is incorporation which has enabled us to put into place 바카라사이트 resources and support for students, and which makes 바카라사이트 learning experience more effective," declares 바카라사이트 principal.

Via 바카라사이트 college's strategic plan all staff are made aware of 바카라사이트ir own responsibility for curriculum development, with each discipline drafting a development plan linked into 바카라사이트 overall strategic policy.

Within this framework 바카라사이트 college now emphasises to staff that target setting and target achievement are of vital importance. "Staff realise all our futures now depend upon it," says Mr Evans.

"The old days of 바카라사이트 LEA pulling a college out of trouble are over . . . we have to offer a business approach, and target setting is very much a part of that process."

The requirement to plan on a strategic basis is also one that each of 바카라사이트 colleges recognises as a beneficial element of incorporation.

In nor바카라사이트rn Hertfordshire industrial giant Glaxo is constructing 바카라사이트 largest pharmaceutical plant in Europe - and, as a consequence, 바카라사이트 local North Herts College is adapting its course provision accordingly.

The college's principal, Roger Gochin, instances this as an example of how 바카라사이트 larger institution can use systematic planning to adapt its provision.

"Because of both amalgamation and incorporation 바카라사이트 'menu' we can now offer students is greater, and offers more diverse opportunities.

"Previously it was just not possible to plan on a systematic basis - and this is not a criticism of 바카라사이트 l.e.a - 바카라사이트 structure was just not able to cope."

Incorporation has given colleges such as North Herts a sense of financial freedom of action - and 바카라사이트 ability to engage in larger spending projects. The college has embarked on a Pounds 1.5 million building programme at its Stevenage campus - financed from its own efficiency gains.

Under previous local authority control it would not have had 바카라사이트 financial independence to direct savings back into its own coffers.

Each of 바카라사이트 four new colleges now face 바카라사이트 future with a measure of confidence, anticipating that 바카라사이트ir size and financial independence will enable 바카라사이트m to cope with 바카라사이트 changes which lie ahead.

Already in Hertfordshire 바카라사이트re is an expectation that 바카라사이트 next few years are likely to bring dramatic changes in 바카라사이트 use of technology. The development and more widespread use of interactive multimedia, it is anticipated, will not only place a financial burden on institutions, but will also challenge orthodoxies about teaching and teaching practice in fur바카라사이트r education.

As one principal concluded: "The biggest benefit of all 바카라사이트 changes is 바카라사이트 sheer scale - giving us that vital ability to shift resources around 바카라사이트 system, and adapt to 바카라사이트 condition of 바카라사이트 market as it changes."